love – Page 3 – deacon rudy's notes

May 19, 2019May 19, 2019

And They’ll Know We are Christians by our Love

Fifth Sunday of Easter Readings
First Reading: Acts:14:21-27
Psalm: 145:8-13
Second Reading: Revelations 21:1-5A
Gospel: John 13:31-33A, 34-35

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love. That’s the message of today’s Gospel from John 13. And that’s why Paul and Barnabas are running Lystra and Iconium and Antioch in today’s first reading from Acts 14. They aren’t getting bonuses for every conversion. They aren’t saving for their retirements. No! They are sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ out of their love for Jesus which helps them see that every person has dignity and every person is worthy of the message of salvation. Paul’s missionary journey is made possible out of love.

Love is everything. I would suggest to you that the ultimate fruit of our conversion is love.

Now I have to admit, that is not an earth-shattering idea or even a cool one. In fact, when I was kid going to RE, what we used to call CCD, I remember complaining to my catechists about all these lessons that always talked about love. I told them we should be learning what it means to be Catholic – like studying our history, our culture and our traditions. But really, I didn’t get it, and that my catechists had no answer for me says they didn’t get it either.

Being a Christian means to be transformed by love. The ultimate fruit of our conversion is love. Love is what drives my desire to learn more about Jesus. Love is what drives my desire to share the Good News with others. Love is what should motivate us to go the margins to bring the Good News. Being a Christian means I need treat everyone around me with love – even if I don’t agree with their politics – even if I don’t agree with their lifestyle – even if they broke the law, for example, are here illegally. Every person is created by God and so every person has dignity. Christian love means that I love the sinner even though I hate the sin.

Is this easy? No and that’s why Catholics talk about conversion being a daily process. Conversion means dying a little to ourselves every day so that we become more fully Christ-like. And this conversion to love is critical. Jesus says, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another,” (John 13:35). Without love, our words and gestures and actions are meaningless. The beginning of discipleship is to first be converted by love and then live a life of love for others.

Homework: I suggest we reflect on the following two questions this week – at least a couple of times this week.

First, what does the feedback I receive from others say about how I live my life? Can they see I am disciple of Jesus Christ by the way I love other people?
Second, where in my life do I need to grow in love?

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

February 25, 2019February 25, 2019

20 Do Unto Others

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Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
First Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103: 1-4, 8-10, 12-13
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Gospel: Luke 6:27-38

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We hear the Golden Rule (v 31) proclaimed in today’s Gospel as we pick up from last week: Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. The Golden Rule shapes our understanding of Christian ethics which consists not in merely refraining from evil, but in actively doing good, and not only to those who are friends, but to those who hate us or do evil against us. As disciples, we can’t have an attitude of live-and-let-live, or, it doesn’t matter what you do as long as it doesn’t affect me. We are called not to close ourselves off, but to actively work for good in the world.

Now this is an important point that often gets confused. Many will accuse Catholics of trying to work our way into heaven. That is not why we work for good. We are saved only by the unmerited, undeserved grace of God through the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ. We can’t work our way into heaven. But, as disciples, we try to live changed lives – changed by the Good News of Jesus Christ. And so we try to follow the example of Jesus’ and the ways we see God working in our lives. The imitation of God requires disciples to be merciful, for example, just as God the Father is merciful.

That’s the power of Christian love. The readings instruct us about our right and wrong choices. Right choices lead us to God and wrong ones break our relationship with Him and one another. Today’s readings give us powerful lessons about ways we can follow both Jesus’ and God’s examples.

Today’s first reading shows us how David made the right choice by respecting God’s anointed king by forgiving his offenses, while Saul continued to make the wrong choices, perpetuating his misery with his revenge. David understood that God loves Saul just as much as God loved him.

The Responsorial Psalm reminds us of the mercy of God and His compassion for us: as a Father has compassion on His children.

In today’s second reading, St. Paul tells us how the “First Adam” made a wrong choice of disobedience, bringing death into the world, whereas Jesus, the “Second Adam” made the correct choice of fulfilling his Father’s saving plan.

But in today’s Gospel the Golden Rule is amplified by the examples He gives. Jesus gives three commands on how we should treat our enemies and those who wrong us as examples: do good to them, bless them, pray for them. Whoa! Now this is a little harder than it sounds. Look, here’s a simple exercise to try. Once I wrote down on a piece of paper all the names of people who didn’t like. Next, I intentionally prayed for each and every name on the list. Say something like, “Lord, Jesus, I lift up x to you. Please bless them with health and happiness.” Then move on to the next.

Moment of truth. As I worked my way down the short list, I stumbled. Now some of these were way back in my past – over twenty years in one case, and I stumbled. I thought I’d forgiven them and moved on. I thought I was healed, but I realized I still have a little more healing to do. Pope St. John Paul II tells us that Luke’s “Gospel has earned the title of ‘the Gospel of mercy.’”[1] If I’m going to imitate God, then I need to show the person who hurt me mercy and I need to show myself mercy and stop holding on to a grudge.

That make sense, doesn’t it? That’s what I ask for every time I pray the Lord’s prayer, right? “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Luke 11:4). “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” (v 31).

Is this easy? No, but the good news is we are not alone. Alone, we can do nothing, but with God, anything is possible, (Mt 19:26). It’s God’s mercy and love working in us that helps us to treat others, not as they deserve but with love, kindness and mercy.

So at every mass, as we pray the Lord’s Prayer asking God to forgive us as we forgive others, we are reminded, renewed and refreshed in God’s mercy and love. So next time you go to mass, maybe pray for the strength to forgive.

Homework. This week, I’d like us to reflect on the following two questions.

Do we allow emotions such as hatred and jealousy to guide our spiritual lives, or do we try to be more like Jesus?
How can I better live out this call to mercy?
Do you got it? Good! Be sure to scroll down through the notes of this podcast. Way at the bottom are some thoughts from the Catechism for further reading. The Lord be with you. Through the divine mercy of Jesus Christ, may each of come to know the generous mercy and love of God! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Notes
[1] John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia (On the Mercy of God), 3.

Further Reading
CCC 1789: Some rules apply in every case: One may never do evil so that good may result from it; the Golden Rule: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.” Charity always proceeds by way of respect for one’s neighbor and his conscience: “Thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience . . . you sin against Christ.” Therefore “it is right not to . . . do anything that makes your brother stumble.”

CCC 1970 : The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between “the two ways” and to put into practice the words of the Lord. It is summed up in the Golden Rule, “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; this is the law and the prophets.” The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the “new commandment” of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved us.

CCC 1458: Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful: Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” – this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner” – this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light. (St. Augustine, In Jo. ev. 12,13:PL 35,1491)

CCC 2842: This “as” is not unique in Jesus’ teaching: “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”; “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful”; “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another,” (Mt 5:48; Lk 6:36; Jn 13:34). It is impossible to keep the Lord’s commandment by imitating the divine model from outside; there has to be a vital participation, coming from the depths of the heart, in the holiness and the mercy and the love of our God. Only the Spirit by whom we live can make “ours” the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, (Cf. Gal 5:25; Phil 2:1,5). Then the unity of forgiveness becomes possible and we find ourselves “forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave” us, (Eph 4:32).

February 10, 2019February 10, 2019

17 I Didn’t Know What I was Getting Myself Into!

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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1: Is 6:1-2A, 3-8
Psalm: Ps 138:1-5, 7-8
Reading 2: 1 Cor 15:1-11
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

“I didn’t know what I was getting myself into!”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say this in pastoral counseling. Hola! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal and I want to reflect on our readings today from the context of relationships, especially with Valentine’s Day around the corner.

Before we get there, let’s review a few ideas. Who made us? God. Why did God make us? To show his goodness and love and to share with us everlasting happiness in heaven. What’s our purpose then? To know, love and serve God in this world. Another way of saying that is that we are called to be in right relation with God and His creation now and for all eternity. In other words, we want to get to heaven and we want to bring somebody with us, right? This is what discipleship is all about.

Over these past two Sundays, we’ve heard about God’s call and our response. Many people are called into a relationship with someone else that either leads to marriage or maybe that they’d hope will lead to marriage. And that relationship journey can be very exciting, right? I just love when a young couple comes up to me and says, “Deacon Rudy, we want to get married because we’re in love.” I don’t mean to poke fun. It’s beautiful, right?

So, you get married and you try to be supportive of each other. For example, we might encourage our partner to get an advanced degree or maybe some other professional credential. Maybe we encourage them because they love what they’re doing or maybe it’s because it will help their career and thus help the family. Either way, part of our role in a relationship is to help the other one develop – to be the best version of themselves. And that’s totally good.

But if all we focus on is our professional selves, we end up being fairly one-dimensional. There’s more to us than the person we are at work. That was true before you got married and it remains true today. So part of our role in the relationship is to help the other develop in other ways and I’m not just talking about diet and exercise. We’re called to help the other grow in their faith.

Now I know some people might say, “Whoa! That can’t be my role. That’s the priest’s job, right?” Often what’s behind this sort of comment is a lack confidence. I think there are a lot of men in particular who are quick to say that “faith” is not their department. It’s their wives who are the spiritual ones – the ones who get us to church – the ones who teach Sunday school. You can almost hear Isaiah’s protest from today’s first reading. “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips…”, (Is 6:5). Or maybe we’re afraid of being embarrassed because of our life before marriage, so maybe our spouse will think we’re being hypocritical if we try to encourage their spiritual life. You can almost hear St. Paul in the second reading trying to justify his role in spreading the Good News. “For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” (1 Cor 15:9).

Our resistance and even our discomfort is totally understandable. My experience is that many of us weren’t really taught how to share our faith. We feel awkward and uncomfortable talking about Jesus. We’re very good talking about our jobs or things happening at work. But talking about our faith? Holding hands – just the two of us – and praying together? That’s different.

Ok, let’s take a step back for a minute. Life can be messy and the way things turn out may not be what we had in mind when we were young and first dating. Maybe my spouse didn’t become widely successful and independently wealthy. Maybe I thought I’d be a stay-at-home parent, but our finances required me to go work. Maybe because I can’t enjoy some of the things my friends have or go on the kinds of trips they go on. Or maybe my spouse is always traveling for work and when they’re home they’ve got to do some important work-related networking, life golf, so they’re gone a significant percentage of the time. Maybe when they’re home they’re really not home because they’re focused on their computers or their smart phones. Maybe I am start to feel alone or that all the non-financial responsibilities, like cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, all falls on me. Maybe I start to resent my spouse. Gradually, that idea, that emotion and be a wedge that creates a gap between us.

Then we find ourselves saying to our pastor or someone on the pastoral staff, “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into!”

Somewhere along the way, a couple might lose sight of their first call, the call we hear Jesus give today in the Gospel, to follow Him. They’re first call as a couple was to each other. Their call as a married couple is to help each other become what God made them to be which is first and foremost disciples. So, as we approach Valentine’s Day, I think this is a good opportunity for couples to pause and take a few minutes without any distractions and be present to each other. That means no cell phones, no TV, no smartwatches – nothing that might create a distraction. It’s important to spend time together to reconnect and stay on the path.

I don’t mean to oversimplify things. Perhaps it’s time to acknowledge the need as a couple to not only seek spiritual guidance, but professional help with a reputable Christian marriage and family therapist who values Christian marriage. We need to be open to do what we can to nurture our relationship so that we can to get our relationships back on track. Yes, that might be a little scary, especially if we’ve allowed things to really get out of hand – if we’ve convinced ourselves that divorce is the only logical option. But as Jesus tells Peter in today’s Gospel, “Do not be afraid,” (Lk 5:10). If we really believe – if we really believe that the Eucharist is the body, the blood, the soul and the divinity of Jesus, then we need to put our trust in Him. Jesus, I trust in you! That simple prayer of St. Faustina should always be on our lips.

Homework! Being nourished by the Eucharist and in the Word proclaimed, let’s work on these two points:

Think about your spouse or your significant other, whether they are alive or they’ve passed away, and pray for your them. Pray for God’s grace upon them.
Pray about the ways you can help each other be the people God made you to be.

If you find it difficult to pray for your spouse, that’s ok. I think that’s a sign that somethings wrong and that there is a need for healing and reconciliation. It’s never too late, and you are not alone. So take the opportunity to reach out to your spouse or reach out to someone on the pastoral staff or a reputable Christian marriage and family therapist who values Christian marriage to help you. Remember, answering “the call” starts in our own families. Do you got it? Good! May each of us come to know the mercy and the love of Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. +Amen!

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